Cat Out Of The Bag
by zerodawn22
Summary: Hermione is affected heavily by the Veela thrall, leading her to blurt out what she had wanted to keep to herself. Oneshot. Fleurmione.


Hermione could feel the heavy fog of a Veela thrall weighing on her. Intoxicating and disorienting, it was all Hermione could do to keep her thoughts on fixing the latch to Crookshanks' cage.

"Hermione, are you sure you don't want me to have a go?" Ron asked, twiddling his wand between his large, clumsy hands.

"It's fine," Hermione replied shortly, shaking her head and trying to remember the correct wand movement.

Fleur must be nearby. Hermione couldn't see with all the jostling people at the train station. But Hermione could only be affected by the thrall if Fleur was nearby.

At first Hermione had found it profoundly unfair that she appeared to be the only woman affected by Fleur's thrall. She found it embarrassing to find herself as distracted and slack-jawed as Harry and Ron in the blonde's presence. Well, at least she wasn't _quite_ as bad as Ron.

Hermione pushed the thoughts of Fleur to one side, focussing on the delicate twist and flick she needed to do to fix the latch on the cage.

"Hermione, you really don't seem to be managing… You sure you don't want me to have a try?" Ron bluntly interrupted as the latch did nothing but jiggle.

Hermione exhaled, frustrated.

Fleur had tried to cheer her up when Hermione had complained about the stifling affect of the thrall. Explained that the thrall _liked_ Hermione, which was why it affected her so strongly. Hermione had found her lips quirking into a smile at that, surprising even herself.

"Damn Veela," Hermione muttered under her breath.

Fleur could reel in her thrall, when she was aware. But wherever she was in the train station, she clearly had her mind on other things.

"Hermione?" Harry noticed Hermione spacing out.

"Look, I'll just have a go," Ron cut in, waving his own wand at the latch on the cage. Ron's clumsy movement resulted in violet sparks spraying off the latch, blowing it wide open. A startled Crookshanks leapt out of the cage in fright, weaving off between bystander's legs.

"Ronald!" Hermione exploded, "I told you it was fine! Now look at what you've done!"

Abashed, Ron rubbed the back of his neck.

"Bloody hell, Hermione," Ron grunted defensively, "You're about as temperamental as a Veela."

"Ron! Firstly, I told you I didn't need your help!" Hermione raged, letting out all the pent up frustration within her at the unlucky Ron, "Secondly, I know for a fact I'm not as temperamental as a Veela given I've just started dating one!"

At the final statement, Hermione gasped, wishing she could take back the words. She never liked revealing her romantic life to the boys. She especially didn't want to reveal that particular detail.

Harry's eyes had gone wide, clearly surprised. Ron was even more unedited, his mouth hanging open.

"Hermione," Harry started.

Hermione crossed her arms across her chest defensively. Well, thanks to the bloody suffocating thrall she had only gone and let the cat out of the bag. When she finally met up with Fleur again she would be having words with the blonde about keeping her thrall in check.

Ron was purpling now, making slight choking noises.

"For Pete's sake, Ron," Hermione huffed, "It's just a girl… It's not like I'm dating a troll."

"I would certainly 'ope not," a gentle melodic voice teased from behind Hermione.

Hermione whirled around, coming face to face with the visage that was Fleur Delacour. Fleur's platinum blonde hair was loose and tumbling over her shoulders, shimmering in the strange silvery way it did. In the blonde's arms was the large fluffy Crookshanks.

"I believe zis is yours?" Fleur smirked, holding forward the wriggly feline.

"Erm, thanks Fleur," Hermione replied, embarrassed.

"Nice to know zat first date went so well you now refer to us as 'dating,'" Fleur smiled, winking at Hermione. Ron's choking became more audible.

"Yeah…" Hermione replied, blushing slightly, before narrowing her eyes, "Wait—can you reel in your thrall already? I don't appreciate looking like an idiot."

"Je suis désolée," Fleur replied, having the good graces to at least look guilty.

She handed Crookshanks to Hermione, leaning in to murmur in the brunette's ear.

"Alzough, it is impossible to make ze great 'Ermione Granger look like an idiot."


End file.
